THESIS

campanulate, rotate or copular, mostly 5 lobed; corolla stellate, rotate or campanulate,
mostly 5 lobed; stamens usually 5, inserted on the corolla throat; anthers often
connivent, forming a cone around the style, often dehiscing by terminal pores or slits;
ovary superior, locules usually 2 with many ovules; style simple; stigma small,
capitate or bifid. Fruit a berry, usually globose, with persistent and sometimes
enlarged calyx. Seeds few to many, orbicular or subreniform, compressed, often
minutely pitted or reticulate. Epigeal germination, first true leaves usually entire.
1.2 Utilization
The leaves and stems of many species are often cooked or steamed and
eaten as a vegetable. The unripe fruits are eaten in curries, whereas the ripe ones of
some Solanum species are edible either cooked or raw. Caution must be taken when
eating Solanum, as several species are poisonous. Example for S. melongena, the
young and almost mature fruit is used as a vegetable. They may be roasted, fried,
stuffed, cooked as curry, pickled or prepared in some other manner. In Thailand,
Indonesia and Malaysia young fruit are also eaten raw (Sutarno et al., 1994).
Immature fruits of S. torvum are eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable or are
used as an ingredient in curry sauce. In Indonesia S. torvum is considered as one of
the best vegetable side-dishes with rice (Boonkerd et al., 1994). The mature, acidic
fruit of S. ferox are used as a sour relish in India, Malaysia and Thailand. They are
also used for curries and in Thailand, it is an ingredient of the well known sauce
“Nam Prik”. In Indonesia the fruits are eaten raw or cooked with rice (Hasen and
Jansen, 1994).
Many species of Solanum are used as medicine. Solanum is used to cure
digestive and intestinal problems, including stomach-ache, diarrhea, piles and
dysentery and for various skin problems such as sores, boils, cuts, wound and bruises.
Many species are also employed to treat fever and malaria, headache and rheumatism.
Some considered being stimulants whereas others have sedative properties.
Furthermore, Solanum is frequently used for various diseases of the respiratory tract,
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